Geolocation

Geolocation

The geolocation object provides access to the device's GPS sensor.

Geolocation provides location information for the device, such as latitude and longitude. Common sources of location information include Global Positioning System (GPS) and location inferred from network signals such as IP address, RFID, WiFi and Bluetooth MAC addresses, and GSM/CDMA cell IDs. No guarantee is given that the API returns the device's actual location.

This API is based on the W3C Geolocation API Specification. Some devices (Android, BlackBerry, Bada, Windows Phone 7 and webOS, to be specific) already provide an implementation of this spec. For those devices, the built-in support is used instead of replacing it with Cordova's implementation. For devices that don't have geolocation support, the Cordova implementation adheres to the W3C specification.

Methods

Arguments

Objects (Read-Only)

Permissions

Android

app/res/xml/plugins.xml

<plugin name="Geolocation" value="org.apache.cordova.GeoBroker" />

app/AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />

Bada

No permissions are required.

BlackBerry WebWorks

www/plugins.xml

<plugin name="Geolocation" value="org.apache.cordova.geolocation.Geolocation" />

www/config.xml

<rim:permissions>
    <rim:permit>read_geolocation</rim:permit>
</rim:permissions>

iOS

App/Supporting Files/Cordova.plist

<key>Plugins</key>
<dict>
    <key>Geolocation</key>
    <string>CDVLocation</string>
</dict>

webOS

No permissions are required.

Windows Phone

Properties/WPAppManifest.xml

<Capabilities>
    <Capability Name="ID_CAP_LOCATION" />
</Capabilities>

Reference: Application Manifest for Windows Phone

geolocation.getCurrentPosition

Returns the device's current position as a Position object.

navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(geolocationSuccess, 
                                         [geolocationError], 
                                         [geolocationOptions]);

Parameters

Description

geolocation.getCurrentPositon is an asynchronous function. It returns the device's current position to the geolocationSuccess callback with a Position object as the parameter. If there is an error, the geolocationError callback is invoked with a PositionError object.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// onSuccess Callback
//   This method accepts a `Position` object, which contains
//   the current GPS coordinates
//
var onSuccess = function(position) {
    alert('Latitude: '          + position.coords.latitude          + '\n' +
          'Longitude: '         + position.coords.longitude         + '\n' +
          'Altitude: '          + position.coords.altitude          + '\n' +
          'Accuracy: '          + position.coords.accuracy          + '\n' +
          'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy  + '\n' +
          'Heading: '           + position.coords.heading           + '\n' +
          'Speed: '             + position.coords.speed             + '\n' +
          'Timestamp: '         + position.timestamp                + '\n');
};

// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
    alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
          'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}

navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-1.9.0.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for Cordova to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // Cordova is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
    }

    // onSuccess Geolocation
    //
    function onSuccess(position) {
        var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
        element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: '           + position.coords.latitude              + '<br />' +
                            'Longitude: '          + position.coords.longitude             + '<br />' +
                            'Altitude: '           + position.coords.altitude              + '<br />' +
                            'Accuracy: '           + position.coords.accuracy              + '<br />' +
                            'Altitude Accuracy: '  + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy      + '<br />' +
                            'Heading: '            + position.coords.heading               + '<br />' +
                            'Speed: '              + position.coords.speed                 + '<br />' +
                            'Timestamp: '          +                                   position.timestamp          + '<br />';
    }

    // onError Callback receives a PositionError object
    //
    function onError(error) {
        alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
              'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="geolocation">Finding geolocation...</p>
  </body>
</html>

geolocation.watchPosition

Watches for changes to the device's current position.

var watchId = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(geolocationSuccess,
                                                  [geolocationError],
                                                  [geolocationOptions]);

Parameters

Returns

Description

geolocation.watchPosition is an asynchronous function. It returns the device's current position when a change in position has been detected. When the device has retrieved a new location, the geolocationSuccess callback is invoked with a Position object as the parameter. If there is an error, the geolocationError callback is invoked with a PositionError object.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// onSuccess Callback
//   This method accepts a `Position` object, which contains
//   the current GPS coordinates
//
function onSuccess(position) {
    var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
    element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: '  + position.coords.latitude      + '<br />' +
                        'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude     + '<br />' +
                        '<hr />'      + element.innerHTML;
}

// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
    alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
          'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}

// Options: throw an error if no update is received every 30 seconds.
//
var watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, { timeout: 30000 });

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-1.9.0.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for Cordova to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    var watchID = null;

    // Cordova is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        // Throw an error if no update is received every 30 seconds
        var options = { timeout: 30000 };
        watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, options);
    }

    // onSuccess Geolocation
    //
    function onSuccess(position) {
        var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
        element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: '  + position.coords.latitude      + '<br />' +
                            'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude     + '<br />' +
                            '<hr />'      + element.innerHTML;
    }

    // onError Callback receives a PositionError object
    //
    function onError(error) {
        alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
              'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="geolocation">Watching geolocation...</p>
  </body>
</html>

geolocation.clearWatch

Stop watching for changes to the device's location referenced by the watchID parameter.

navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);

Parameters

Description

geolocation.clearWatch stops watching changes to the device's location by clearing the geolocation.watchPosition referenced by watchID.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// Options: watch for changes in position, and use the most
// accurate position acquisition method available.
//
var watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, { enableHighAccuracy: true });

// ...later on...

navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-1.9.0.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for Cordova to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    var watchID = null;

    // Cordova is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        // Get the most accurate position updates available on the
        // device.
        var options = { enableHighAccuracy: true };
        watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, options);
    }

    // onSuccess Geolocation
    //
    function onSuccess(position) {
        var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
        element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: '  + position.coords.latitude      + '<br />' +
                            'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude     + '<br />' +
                            '<hr />'      + element.innerHTML;
    }

    // clear the watch that was started earlier
    // 
    function clearWatch() {
        if (watchID != null) {
            navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);
            watchID = null;
        }
    }

    // onError Callback receives a PositionError object
    //
    function onError(error) {
      alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
            'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="geolocation">Watching geolocation...</p>
    <button onclick="clearWatch();">Clear Watch</button>     
  </body>
</html>

Coordinates

A set of properties that describe the geographic coordinates of a position.

Properties

Description

The Coordinates object is created and populated by Cordova, and attached to the Position object. The Position object is then returned to the user through a callback function.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// onSuccess Callback
//
var onSuccess = function(position) {
    alert('Latitude: '          + position.coords.latitude          + '\n' +
          'Longitude: '         + position.coords.longitude         + '\n' +
          'Altitude: '          + position.coords.altitude          + '\n' +
          'Accuracy: '          + position.coords.accuracy          + '\n' +
          'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy  + '\n' +
          'Heading: '           + position.coords.heading           + '\n' +
          'Speed: '             + position.coords.speed             + '\n' +
          'Timestamp: '         + position.timestamp                + '\n');
};

// onError Callback
//
var onError = function() {
    alert('onError!');
};

navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Geolocation Position Example</title>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-1.9.0.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Set an event to wait for Cordova to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // Cordova is loaded and Ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
    }

    // Display `Position` properties from the geolocation
    //
    function onSuccess(position) {
        var div = document.getElementById('myDiv');

        div.innerHTML = 'Latitude: '             + position.coords.latitude  + '<br/>' +
                        'Longitude: '            + position.coords.longitude + '<br/>' +
                        'Altitude: '             + position.coords.altitude  + '<br/>' +
                        'Accuracy: '             + position.coords.accuracy  + '<br/>' +
                        'Altitude Accuracy: '    + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy  + '<br/>' +
                        'Heading: '              + position.coords.heading   + '<br/>' +
                        'Speed: '                + position.coords.speed     + '<br/>';
    }

    // Show an alert if there is a problem getting the geolocation
    //
    function onError() {
        alert('onError!');
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="myDiv"></div>
  </body>
</html>

Android Quirks

altitudeAccuracy: This property is not support by Android devices, it will always return null.

Position

Contains Position coordinates and timestamp, created by the geolocation API.

Properties

Description

The Position object is created and populated by Cordova, and returned to the user through a callback function.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// onSuccess Callback
//
var onSuccess = function(position) {
    alert('Latitude: '          + position.coords.latitude          + '\n' +
          'Longitude: '         + position.coords.longitude         + '\n' +
          'Altitude: '          + position.coords.altitude          + '\n' +
          'Accuracy: '          + position.coords.accuracy          + '\n' +
          'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy  + '\n' +
          'Heading: '           + position.coords.heading           + '\n' +
          'Speed: '             + position.coords.speed             + '\n' +
          'Timestamp: '         + position.timestamp                + '\n');
};

// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
    alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
          'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}

navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-1.9.0.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for Cordova to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // Cordova is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
    }

    // onSuccess Geolocation
    //
    function onSuccess(position) {
        var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
        element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: '           + position.coords.latitude              + '<br />' +
                            'Longitude: '          + position.coords.longitude             + '<br />' +
                            'Altitude: '           + position.coords.altitude              + '<br />' +
                            'Accuracy: '           + position.coords.accuracy              + '<br />' +
                            'Altitude Accuracy: '  + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy      + '<br />' +
                            'Heading: '            + position.coords.heading               + '<br />' +
                            'Speed: '              + position.coords.speed                 + '<br />' +
                            'Timestamp: '          + 
 position.timestamp                    + '<br />';
    }

    // onError Callback receives a PositionError object
    //
    function onError(error) {
        alert('code: '    + error.code    + '\n' +
              'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="geolocation">Finding geolocation...</p>
  </body>
</html>

PositionError

A PositionError object is returned to the geolocationError callback when an error occurs.

Properties

Constants

Description

The PositionError object is returned to the user through the geolocationError callback function when an error occurs with geolocation.

PositionError.PERMISSION_DENIED

Returned when the user does not allow your application to retrieve position information. This is dependent on the platform.

PositionError.POSITION_UNAVAILABLE

Returned when the device was unable to retrieve a position. In general this means the device has no network connectivity and/or cannot get a satellite fix.

PositionError.TIMEOUT

Returned when the device was unable to retrieve a position within the time specified in the geolocationOptions' timeout property. When using in conjunction with geolocation.watchPosition, this error could be called into the geolocationError callback every timeout milliseconds.

geolocationSuccess

The user's callback function that is called when a geolocation position becomes available (when using with geolocation.getCurrentPosition), or when the position changes (when using with geolocation.watchPosition).

function(position) {
    // Do something
}

Parameters

Example 

function geolocationSuccess(position) {
    alert('Latitude: '          + position.coords.latitude          + '\n' +
          'Longitude: '         + position.coords.longitude         + '\n' +
          'Altitude: '          + position.coords.altitude          + '\n' +
          'Accuracy: '          + position.coords.accuracy          + '\n' +
          'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy  + '\n' +
          'Heading: '           + position.coords.heading           + '\n' +
          'Speed: '             + position.coords.speed             + '\n' +
          'Timestamp: '         + position.timestamp                + '\n');
}

geolocationError

The user's callback function that is called when there is an error for geolocation functions.

function(error) {
    // Handle the error
}

Parameters

geolocationOptions

Optional parameters to customize the retrieval of the geolocation Position.

{ maximumAge: 3000, timeout: 5000, enableHighAccuracy: true };

Options

Android Quirks

The Android 2.x simulators will not return a geolocation result unless the enableHighAccuracy option is set to true.

{ enableHighAccuracy: true }